My Story After Ice Age 3
by goldenpuon
Summary: A weird fanfiction story after what happens when I enter the ice age world and join the herd. Chapter 16 is finished now from it's incomplete version, for those who haven't noticed yet. DISCONTINUED.
1. Prolugue

My Story After Ice Age 3:

Disclaimer: Manfred, Ellie, Crash, Eddie, Sid, Diego, Cedric, Vinny, Elder Titan etc. are property of 20th Century Fox and Blue Sky Studios. All of the other characters belong to me

It was late spring of my 10th grade year. I wasn't looking forward to 11th grade but was happy for Ice Age 3 coming out the next year even though I was positive the characters were only alive in my head and on computers. All of my fish were still alive and I had about 7 tanks and 2 bins set up. I had been moderately successful with my betta breeding and now had about 25 female bettas in a 20 gallon and a few males in a 5 gallon bin I had kept because they were so unagressive along with all my original bettas and goldfish. I also had a boyfriend from the winter of that school year at Walled Lake Central High School. His name was Ryuu and in 9th grade. He was Japanese and he loved fish however he didn't like video games like I did and only somewhat liked animation. However we had connected because he knew a lot about fish like I did, especially marine and tropical fish he had kept all of his life. His only family member was his dad, his mother had died years before and the rest of his family lived around Japan and Asia.


	2. The Life Changing Incident

My Story After Ice Age 3:

It was almost midnight on a Tuesday before my Biology and Geometry tests so I wanted a lot of sleep for that night. Somehow I woke up to a phone call even though my mom had turned the volume to low. I answered it, sensing something was up. I picked up the phone to my horror to find that Ryuu's father had just when killed in a car crash when he was returning home from work because he worked some night hours. He was calling from the police station and apparently it had been on the news. He was going up for adoption being only 14 ½ if no one agreed to be his foster parents in the area. I told him I wouldn't let this happen to him. I told him I'll call him back and quickly got down his phone number. My first impulse was to go to Theresa or the other lady next door. I decided to head over to the older lady since Teresa already had her hands full with getting Aaron ready for middle school. I wasn't sure what her name was but I knew that she was nice. I got dressed and snuck out without my mother knowing and went over to her house to see her light on. I knocked franticly at her door. When I told her what I had heard she said that not only would she foster Ryuu, but she would adopt him and allow his 2 fish tanks from home into her house. My heart leaped for joy and I was thrilled to see it the next day after school all arranged. My mom was also a little worried but happy for me when I told her. I was sure my life would change now that Ryuu would be next door. He was moving in with her by next week, starting with moving his things on Sunday!

It was a Friday and the next day I was looking forward to going to my new friend Rebecca's house tomorrow though it would be our first time and I felt like we shared little in common. She had no pets and was terrible at computers yet in the pick-up area I had met her. Surprisingly, she suggested that we be friends. She was a quiet girl who loved reading stories about the dead and listening to classical music for hours which I felt was a little strange. I was in a fairly good mood after spending time with her that Saturday. She had exchanged interests and found that we both had MySpaces (we exchanged user names) and found out she liked horses a lot. Rebecca also only had us listen to classical music 1/3 of the time though she had excessively talked about it when I met her. Her mom decided to drive me home without her daughter since she had a lot of homework which I agreed to. It was midday and about 2/3 of the way home we were approaching a ramp to go onto the highway. The area looked safe, only a few cars around us. She turned and off the side a black car being moved by a large semi truck pushing it with a lone driver screaming inside came heading straight for us. I screamed as Rebecca's mother dodged to try to break through a wooden fence for an abandoned construction site as saw my life flash before my eyes. However, the truck was headed for us at least 60 miles per hour and we didn't make it. I jumped out of the car as Rebecca's mother was instantly killed and the car torn to wreckage. I tried to get up, with no idea where I had landed, stunned by having fallen on the grass from a speeding car. I had just a split second to see what had happened to the car and my friend's mom before about 40 feet away from me. I screamed as the semi truck that had somewhat slowed when it went through the fence and hit a second car went straight for me. I jumped clear of the truck, running on pure adrenalin but the first car that was being pushed by the truck with the now dead driver broke off. I started to jump but had almost no chance and the truck and hit my head, instantly killing me but not before I go a glimpse of who was in the truck. The same face that killed Ryuu's father on the news that hadn't been successfully caught by police yet was the one in the semi truck. He looked determined, ready to kill yet he was on drugs and I knew he would have no memory of killing us and from his past records, was probably hallucinating on an illegal drug.


	3. A New World and a Fight

My Story After Ice Age 3:

I woke up in what felt like morning after my terrible encounter and realized everything looked different, I saw things differently, as if my eyes were playing tricks on me but I knew I was in a wilderness, in the middle of no where. My head was somehow fine, I remembered what happened and figured I must be dreaming or going to a spirit world. I attempted to get up but immediately fell, my weight seemed to be an issue and two hairy, brown feet and my nose lay in front of me. I got up again, this time, attempting on all fours. I was sure I was hallucinating. It worked only the trees seemed a bit small and I realized I had become something else. I saw a chipmunk race up a tree. It looked like on one of those animated movies and returned my glance. I took another look at myself and out of my vision there were 2 small tusks and my body was completely covered in brown hair. I screamed, I knew what I was and where I was immediately. I hastily got up walking, then let myself fall, trying to collect myself. My fish and Ryuu, my family, and friends were in a different dimension. I was sure Ryuu would take in my fish as my neighbor hadn't seemed strict about it at all. But what about my friends, my family, my future career and dreams of helping animals? What would my family think, one of their most valued family members dead?

I was about to break down when a voice echoed through the trees. At first I didn't recognize it, it called someone where I was.

"Get over here, I think something strange just happened!"

The next voice I recognized right off the bat.

"Are you sure it's ok to go over here, sounds like lightning just hit someone."

I screamed again to draw their attention, I knew who they were.

A saber I knew by name and a petrified sloth trailing behind emerged from some vegetation.

"Diego!" I shouted!

The saber put on a quizzical look wondering how I knew his name yet knowing we had never met.

He only had time to glance at me before a female mammoth charged in followed by an uncertain male and 2 possums clinging onto her back for dear life. My eyes suddenly sparkled before anyone had any more time to react to me. The male mammoth stepped forward. "What happened to you?"

I struggled for words as I looked at him. "I-I was killed, and now I'm a mammoth here."

He looked seriously confused.

As he approached, I nervously said "I'm Renee, we talked through my head once."

It took them all a moment for it to register. Manny and Diego realized first.

"You're uh, Renee, what, how'd this happen to you?" Manny stammered.

Everyone exchanged glances, mouths wide open, except Sid who fainted and the possum brothers who tried to stay up and not play dead and fall off Ellie's back. Still shaken and a bit battered, I told them what happened to me. They all waited patiently for me to finish my explanation while Diego kept Sid under control so he didn't ask any questions.

As soon as I was done, Sid shouted out, "Do you want to join the mammoth herd?!"

I thought for a second, Ice Age 3 hadn't come out yet where they mentioned Manny becoming leader of a mammoth herd. I figured here, what would be Ice Age 3 had already happened.

"Sure." I said, happy to finally being with the characters but very upset how this had happened as well. "Where are they?"

"About a mile that way." Manny gestured, but still obviously thinking hard about what he had just discovered.

Sid answered my question about why they weren't with the herd. "We go off once a day, like in the good old days." To Manfred, "You know, it was my idea." Shockingly Manny didn't show any irritation when Sid said that or when he started talking about how I liked Manny. However, Diego put a quick end to it with a shove to Sid.

I knew the characters (now my friends) might have changed since number Ice Age 2. Everyone kept quiet for the trip to the herd other than Diego stopping Sid from talking or the possum brothers sometimes play fighting. I wondered why they were so quiet and I gave Diego an innocent look. He glanced back quickly but I figured that I was about to be shown something he didn't want me to know about until we got there. After what I estimated to be more than a mile, still trying to figure out how to walk exactly right and even use my trunk we arrived. My heart pounded as I saw the herd, only a few youngsters and a lot of adults, accompanied by a youngish, black haired, lone male with piercing, brown eyes standing on the fringe of them guarded by 2 older males working hard to keep him back. Manny stepped forward.

Calmly, but probably concerned for Manny, Diego said, "I figured this was going to happen."

I caught on right away. That mammoth over there had to be Cedric, Manny's main opponent from what I had read when it came to leading this herd. It looked like he had approached while Manny had been gone. By the herd's behaviors Manny had not been gone long. I realized that I would be introduced to the herd later. There was about to be a fight. Manny always seemed to use words before attacking anything besides Sid.

From what he said, I could tell that he had changed since I last saw him.

"I told you to stay off our grounds. If you wanna fight again and lose like last time with your cowardly vulture, go ahead. You know where I stand so what about you run before I hit your tusks into the sand?" The whole herd looked at them.

"Fine, leader, you wanna fight, lets go ahead. See if I'm a match for you this time." Cedric sneered. With that his scrawny vulture I read was named Vinny came overhead with some kind of things wrapped in leaves that seemed to explode upon impact that were enclosed in a large bag as the he demonstrated. Manny immediately drew towards Cedric and started the fight which surprised me.

"Sid, Crash, Eddie, Renee, stay back." Me and Ellie'll handle this if it turns out bad."

I held back because it looked like Manny could handle this at first, he rapidly advanced on Cedric and the vulture kept missing Manny with the bomb things.

Cedric gave the awkward vulture the eye. Suddenly a thing exploded on Manny's back. At first he seemed immune to it. After a few more, I saw his fur was tattered and there was blood. Now Manny was doing more than just fighting him back, he was going for Cedric's legs, attempting to batter him to the ground. Vinny took out the big ones and started dropping them around Manny's head and back. He didn't show if he was getting weakened. Diego and Ellie eyed each other but knew their time had not come to fight yet. Suddenly Vinny dropped the whole bag on Manny who had started to look very wounded and battered up but still not weakening. Almost all of the explosives landed the mark now. He struggled to stand as Cedric attempted to slice his side. Diego and Ellie as well as me against Diego's orders came in to help. I charged forward, butting away anyone in front of me while Ellie and Diego approached Manny from different sides. I felt like I was going like lightning. When I arrived, a whole gang of vultures were dumping more explosives. When I reached Manny, I could already see that Diego was fighting Cedric. I tried to get a tusk into Cedric's rear. He wheeled around and attempted to bash me with him tusks. Diego, who was now snarling, tried to get his teeth into Cedric for the second time while dodging the missiles. Ellie was helping Manny to his feet. Some bomb things started to hit Diego and Ellie. Finally I got a tusk into Cedric's side and he bashed me hard with his head almost knocking me out. I pushed harder, amazed at what I was doing, that now that I was in this world, this kind of fighting would not get me in trouble. An explosive hit my back, it burned badly but I heaved my tusk further into Cedric. Diego took the chance to bite into Cedric's side and head. Cedric still didn't fall to the ground. Suddenly Diego sighted a whole bunch of explosives from the vultures. He tried to get me off Cedric saying "Go, go, go!" I pushed my tusk out hoping to do further damage and I ran as Diego led me to a small cave where Manny and Ellie were. The whole herd went in front of the cave entrance. They clearly hadn't expected this to happen but were ready to defend their leader if they had to. Only a few bombs fell on them before I heard some males charge away, chasing the now wounded Cedric off. The vultures retreated. The herd looked at us in the cave. Diego shouted for them to back off, that we'd handle this. They backed off slowly, looking caring and concerned. Sid, Crash, and Eddie revealed themselves from a small passage within the cave. I was nervous and din't know how badly Manny was injured yet.


	4. A Visit from Elder Titan

My Story After Ice Age 3:

I got a good look at Manny for the first time. He had a few light tusk marks in him and most of his back was raw and bleeding. His head looked mostly unharmed though a few small wounds were around his eyes. Ellie was by him, trying to stop the bleeding and talking softly to him.

"Are you ok?" I asked caringly but still nervous and shaken.

I ruffled and tired voice replied, " Thank you. It would have been better if you had let Diego handle it." Diego suddenly asked a young female from the herd for some water. Sid, Crash, and Eddie crowded around Manny but stayed far enough back.

"I can't believe anyone would have done something like this to you." Ellie said, angry at what had happened. Ellie and Manny locked trunks for a second. Off the side, I asked, "Can I help?" Ellie willingly moved over for me but warned me to not touch Manny's back.

"You were really brave out there, especially after what had happened to you. I hope you're doing ok." Ellie said.

"You're welcome to stay with us." added Sid.

Diego came over who had finished giving instructions for the herd to collect some mud, water, and large leaves. I thanked them gratefully. I came closer to Manny and patted his head. He looked at me, looking very weak. I lay down next to him hoping Ellie didn't mind. The young female mammoth came with a trunk full of water and sprayed Manny's back. He took on a look of extreme pain. She looked at me questioningly for a second, then left without a word wondering how I could have come about to the herd. I was afraid I looked weird because I had not even seen my own reflection yet in the water. Everything seemed silent. Diego suddenly took me aside and thanked me for my help. Then he went into detail about my situation while we were alone.

"Um, you're saying you died in a car accident? Is there any way to get you back?"

"No, a car hit my head, if I return I'll definitely be dead. I really miss my family and my dreams for the future but I really love being here too."

"So you don't want to go back? As soon as Manny is under control, maybe we can figure out how to bring you back alive if you want to." Diego said sensitively.

"Is there a way I can be transported back, like I was, alive, back to my world?" Diego thought for a second about Elder Titan, how he had switched bodies with Sid in a magical realm but how the elder had said they were going as far into any magic realm as they could go.

"It's worth a shot. You know Elder Titan right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I'll send for him now."

Manny was shouting out in pain as Ellie and 2 old female mammoths put the leaves with mud on him when Diego and I got back.

"Wish I could help more." I said.

As Manny looked at me, now restraining his shouts of pain, he seemed to forge a major connection with me. I could tell by his eyes that he was remembering losing his family and saw the same had just happened to me.

"Wanna, uh, come here for a second," he asked a tiny bit nervously but more concerned than anything after the two females finished on his back and Diego told the herd to go back to what they were doing.

At first Ellie looked almost offended when I went up to Manny like that. Then she stopped from her work and joined in.

"I know what it's like for something like this to happen to someone." Ellie said, trying to relate to me.

"I had this happen to me about 11 years ago but don't let it stop you." said Manny.

Manny's eyes looked deep into mine and for a second, I felt like he was much more than a friend, like a blood relative just in my opinion of course. I didn't know what h was thinking. Diego was watching from a short distance away. Crash and Eddie were trying to blow their nose on a nearby leaf picking up on our deep conversation.

Sid, crying turned to Diego, "You know, I always knew it was like them to be together."

Diego suddenly looked at a loss for words. I turned to Ellie and Manny. Ellie looked offensively at Sid. Manny said quietly, "I'll deal with him later." Diego left to make sure the herd was alright and went off for a drink of water. Just when I was about to feel that Ellie and Manny were as close to me as my old family, an old, but slick voice entered the cave. "Excuse me, is this were I'll find the mammoth Renee?" He looked at what was going on, we were still hugging, Manny was lying on the ground. "Are um" he cleared his throat, "Are I interrupting something?" This was extremely awkward and I immediately stopped. Sid went to our rescue (sort of). "Hey, can you help her? They told me they're doing nothing." Sid said, pointing and grinning as if he didn't think the last part he said was true .

"What?" he asked.

"That girl,-Renee, I think he died and lost her family in a different dimension." Thsi time he clearly pointd over to me and Elder Titan caught on to his confusing explanation.

"Well," said Titan in an uncertain but polite manner "if you lost your family and you're dead, why would you want to go back?"

"Sid ment that I died in a different world so when I ended up here as a mammoth, I didn't have any family left to talk to. They're still alive, just back where I was." I clarified.

"What magical realm were you from and what type of animal were you?"

I told him that I was from a world unlike here, not in an ice age, that I was human, and that I would be needed to be moved to the correct body in a universe he didn't know of.

"I'm afraid I can't do that." admitted the elder.

"Is there anyone that can?" said Manny solidly. I was shocked that he had talked. He clearly didn't want to see me go what he went through.

"No animal can go that far. The humans could know but from my knowledge, they lack any capability to move anyone to a different realm and are way behind of this type of technology, though they're pretty efficient at killing us off and making weapons out of anything." Elder Titan quickly also explained that there would be a great risk of losing me for good if he attempted something like this.

Manny, Ellie, and I all looked at each other to consider it for a minute while Sid and the possums tried to think for a moment.

The elder interrupted us "The problem is nothing is capable of that. Whatever force put you here must have done so for a reason. Trying to come back if your story is true at this point is pure risk."

I looked at everyone around me. "I'll stay then." I half sighed, half breathed out.

Sid immediately did a dance and the possums whooped and high-fived each other. Ellie looked quite happy and Manny managed a smile though I knew he was worried about me and how to introduce me to the herd with my life story. Diego came back just in time to hear my decision.

Carefully he asked, "Are you sure this is what you want Renee?"

I stepped in. I repeated Elder Titan's statement about moving me earlier in my own words. "I must have come here by something's will. Maybe what enabled me to talk to you guys through my head in the first place. If I'm dead somewhere else, I shouldn't go back." Elder Titan seemed a bit bewildered by my talking through my head statement. Diego looked at me.

"I agree with her." Everyone, even the brothers seemed to respect his choice. The elder paused for a moment to make sure we were done with him.

"Better be on my way then."

With that the armadillo left, waving a claw farewell. "You're officially one of us." Ellie said. Everyone in our original odd herd nodded.

Everyone including Manny and the possums which weren't normally this supportive accepted me as part of the herd now. What the rest of the day would hold, I didn't know.


	5. Basics of Being a Mammoth

My Story After Ice Age 3:

Don't sweat the small stuff they always say. But, for me, eating, drinking, and picking up things was very hard. I noticed that Ellie and Sid were leaving for a bathroom break so I asked her if I could get help with my trunk which only had the ability to do the most basic motor skills.

"Sure, I'll show you!" Ellie said. What I saw Sid do next was very disturbing. He lifted up his leg like a dog and then tried to bury like a cat. Ellie went to do her stuff while we were walking, pausing briefly and I barely noticed, copying her. She didn't give Sid a second glance before we moved on and left him.

Finally, we arrived at the water hole. Only a few tapirs and a raccoon were there. I tried to get a good look at myself before I let Ellie show me how to drink. I saw brown eyes with fairly long eyelashes at the top and bottom. My hair was dark brown and my fur was a bit lighter, but still much darker than Ellie's. My nose was pretty proportional to my face and I looked small compared to Ellie who was watching. I had a small rack of tusks about as thick as Ellie's and I had a slightly black brow that matched my eyebrows when I was a human.

I asked, "Will I always be this small?"

"You're only a little smaller than me." she stated. "as you get older, your tusks will grow out and thicken." she replied. These facts made me feel a bit better because I wanted to be able to fit in well with the herd. Now the time came for us to drink.

"You tilt your trunk down like this and suck inward and then put water in your mouth." she said as though she had known how to do it a long time though she seemed like a beginner herself at keeping water in her trunk.

I tried once and got water up my nose. I tried again and ended up blowing bubbles. She repeated herself and gestured. I tried a few more times, frustrated. Finally I made a bit of progress and got a little bit of water in my nose only to have it drain out. I eventually was able to get a little water using my trunk and spent the rest of the time sipping from the waterhole.

"You know we have to eat 400 pounds of vegetation daily right?"

I rolled my eyes. I would be eating to live, never living to eat yet how did Manny keep up his weight?

Finally I responded. "Yeah." "How did you know how to eat the right foods when you thought you were a possum?"

"Well, I ate what agreed with me and my possum mom put me on a special diet. What a change that was!"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Oh, you know, making me eat a hundred times more than my brothers at the dinner table, making me become a vegetarian and not eat bugs. That kinda stuff."

I wondered if my taste was different now. I went to a nearby fruit tree and shook it, surprised at my strength. Ellie showed me some high calorie foods like nuts and a weird spiked fruit called a ponjia. We both ate a lot of grass and fruit for the next hour or so. I was shocked at how much I could fit in my mouth. I ate fast, hoping that I would be able to eat enough every day. When we got back, I was shocked to see Manny standing, leaning against the side of the cave, and eating some branches someone in the herd had left for him even though he seemed to still be a bit weak from lost blood. Manny and Ellie casually greeted each other as if this was their normal routine though I knew it wasn't. Diego was there, sitting. He drew back when Manny took a few steps to approach me even though he looked dizzy.

"How'd it go?"

"Good, replied Ellie, I think Renee's doing well with her trunk so far. Where are my brothers?"

"Eating grubs." Manny grimaced, disgusted.

"But we left Sid along the way." I exclaimed, interrupting their conversation.

Ellie acted like it was no big deal even though Sid totally lacked common sense. "He was doing his thing, he knows the way back." Manny shot her a worried look, then lay back down. The possums showed themselves when Eddie fell from a crack in the top of the cave, a grub in his mouth. Crash came down afterwards, attempting a gross out.

"There are dozens of icky, slimy, germ filled grubs up there the size of a dung ball." Crash said, trying to make it sound terrible. "Just waiting to eat you!" Eddie chimed in. This appealed to Ellie for some reason. "You know just the silliest jokes don't you?" she said hugging them. They laughed and ran all over Ellie for a minute. I tried to smile, while Manny looked up into space and Diego actually smiled like he had actually liked that. I realized that sometimes Diego accepted Ellie's actions better than Manny even though Ellie and him were closer.

"Should I go get Sid?" asked Diego.

Wanting the group to talk to me more, I asked "Has this happened before with Sid?"

"Dozens of times." replied Diego.

"Should I go get him?" asked Ellie, suddenly feeling guilty to leave everyone in a situation like this.

Manny didn't know what to tell her and the possums begged her not to leave by her side.

"Go ahead." Diego finally said.

"Ok, I'll be back in a little bit." With that she left.


	6. Meeting The Herd's Messengers

My Story After Ice Age 3:

Kind of a strange chapter. lol

The herd had now moved close by to the cave entrance as evening approached. The two males that were originally keeping Cedric back and the two main chasers of Cedric after the fight came in to report news to us. They were rather large. I wondered why they hadn't been chosen leaders of the herd instead of Manny. Manny gave them immediate attention as they entered.

The older one stepped forward. "Leader, we have successfully chased Cedric off our grounds. He appears to be wounded. He is unlikely to head back for a while. The herd was not hurt during the incident. They are looking forward to your return and are not too badly stirred up from the fight." He sounded like an audio recording but I could see he was not normally like this unless giving news because I had seen him interact with a youngster quite playfully earlier that day. He seemed to be showing a bit of interest on me by his expression. The possums looked at them too, obviously showing some respect.

"Thanks." Manny started. "Renee, I would like you to meet Casey and Chano, our herd's messengers." For some reason, I felt like he was not overly fond of them.

To them he said, "This is Renee, she's new to our herd. I'll be introducing her tomorrow." He didn't mention how I had joined them but I knew why. They nodded.

Now that the news was told Manny took an interest in them.

"How's your daughter, Casey? Is she doing better?"

"It seems like she's distanced herself from the herd again. She might decide to leave soon." Casey said sadly, his voice no longer like a recording but sensitive and caring.

Chano had something to say as well. He was younger and less certain of himself, probably in his late 20's but still as big as Casey. "I think that Cedric will send for more vultures next time. I think I saw him talking with a flock of vultures when I went out to look for food. He seems to be after a herd to the north. I have heard that he attacked them." The situation seemed bad.

"I'll come up with a plan to stop him. Tell the herd to keep on defense." With nothing more to say, they gestured with their trunks that they were leaving to tell the herd. Manny explained who they were to me. "Those are Cedric's second cousins. They're brothers. They joined the herd as loners last month, searching for a new herd after their father died in their family group."

"Why did they decide to leave?"

Manny sighed. "Casey, his daughter, and Chano, were all that was left of their family group after most of their family got some unknown sickness and died.

"So how many were there to begin with?"

"About 10."

"What about Cedric, if he's related to them?"

"He left them to start his own life, without telling them, when he was a teenager." I wondered if I was asking too many questions but I was a very analytical person.

Just then, Sid came in without Ellie. "I think the only reason you give them any time is because of their skills." I knew upon hearing that that Manny resented them for being related to Cedric, but he had accepted them because they had no where else to go as well as their experiences as being messengers.

"Where's Ellie?" asked Diego ignoring his comment.

"Has something bad happened to her?" shouted Eddie?

"I'm right here." Ellie said entering the cave.

Eddie and Crash ran to her now in tears even though she hadn't been gone for long.

"How'd you get Sid?" I asked.

"He got lost in a forest. Guess I was wrong." She came up to Manny. "You ok?"

"Yeah, the messengers sent us news that Cedric's planning a bigger attack on the herd in time."

Ellie turned angry. "Well, if he wants to get to you get you again, he'll have to get through me first."

Manny touched her trunk and smiled. "Don't worry, we'll figure out something. I hope you're doing alright."

"Of course, she smiled back."

A look from Sid like he was getting the wrong idea reminded me that I was the only on staring. The possums were harassing Diego in the cave's back corner. I showed no response to his glance. It was about 7 p.m. by my guess at this time. This was my first night in an almost alien world. Would I wake up tomorrow to find myself in a hospital after the car crash and all of this a dream? I wanted to leave the cave to look at the herd and the sky but I felt overwhelmed by everything and stayed in. The herd slowly shifted towards the cave and the same female that sprayed Manny with water earlier came in with food. She looked at me, still puzzled. I got my first look at the darkening sky. I felt all my past memories flooding back to me. She must have read my expression because she was suddenly disturbed, then suddenly dropped the food and ran out, upset.

I looked over at everyone.

"That's Casey's daughter." said Diego sadly. "She's a wreck after that disease wiped out her family." Sid put a finger up, hinting to me. With that I went out for food and water, alone, with no warning, upset by everything happening. I headed off away from the herd into the night to be by myself.

I returned when it was totally dark, about two hours, after I ate. I came in, head down, still upset.

"I sent Diego out for you." Manny said. Sid was already asleep but had started a fire to warm us. I saw Ellie had kept her brothers up and was looking worried about me through the firelight. I lay down and wept, falling asleep within seconds. When I woke up it was the middle of the night. Ellie, Manny, and Diego had moved close but not next to me to sleep. I saw them with the light of the dying fire Sid had started. Everyone around me felt completely alien to me. I still didn't know if they thought as humans did and I felt I had more intelligence looking at them right that second even though they were sleeping. I went over and huddled next to everyone.


	7. Me, The Know It All

My Story After Ice Age 3:

The next morning I woke and took a look at Manny's back. The leaves were somewhat blood soaked and I wondered how medically advanced animals were. He turned his head toward me and I almost jumped. Diego was missing, probably out hunting. It was early, probably only 5 or 6 a.m. I looked away from him, realizing I was the only one doing judging everyone. I scooted away because I had been sleeping way too close to him and waited for a response.

"I know what you're going through." he started. "Don't let this change you like I let it with me." he said, talking as if giving advice, and feeling guilt, and concern. I knew he was referring to his first family though he had never been switched to another world like I had. I looked at him, he must have felt like his world collapsed and changed when the humans killed his mate and son even though it was not changed physically as it had for me.

"Did you have any other family besides a mate and a child?"

He took on a painful look. "I left my family group that had my parents and relatives when I was 20. I tried to visit them but they had moved. I heard a rumor that they had died in an ice cave even though not everyone I heard from had the same story. Just after I got my first mate, Catherine, was when I found out."

"Did it upset you like when you lost Catherine?" I hoped I was not speaking like I was not caring.

"It did but didn't really sink in. I figured I could get over it and that I still had her and a child on the way. But all of that fell apart when she died. I cared a lot for her." I didn't know what to say, he seemed to have a high level of patience with me, even more possibly than Diego but I didn't want to test it.

Caringly as I could, I asked, "Is Ellie expecting?"

"Yes, Ellie's due in about 19 months." I was surprised. Then I realized that a mammoth pregnancy was at least 22 months like modern elephants. I looked for Ellie. I noticed that she was on the other side of Manny. She had somehow moved during the night. I was in the same place I originally lay down next to Manny.

"What names are you thinking of?"

"Ellie and I haven't decided yet. It's a little too soon for that." I switched the subject to my dreaded question about the animals. "Do the ice age animals think as complexly like humans do?"

"Of course." came Manny's answer quickly.

"I mean like in the use of technology and memorizing math or being able to write." Manny gave me a look like he was almost offended and I realized how insensitive I had been.

"We're content with our level of living. We do have a basic number and symbol system most animals know to communicate general ideas. We do most math in our heads." I was shocked. I wanted to learn it even though the description didn't sound too good.

My attention turned again to his back, he obviously couldn't see how it looked but he did still seem to have a bit of pain there. He followed my glance and carefully touched his back. He was acting like this was our time. I thought this was strange. I wondered if the mammoths knew about daily bandage changes but I did recall someone using some kind of healing plant on Manny as I was leaving with Ellie the day before so they weren't totally clueless about healing techniques. I didn't want to seem anymore like a know it all so I kept quiet about his injury. I put my head down again and we slept for another hour.


	8. Diego Error

My Story After Ice Age 3:

This chapter is a little off the deep end for me. It's strange. lol

I slept another hour before I heard Diego's voice. I woke to see Manny looking at Diego.

"It looks like it could be infected. We'll need to wash it out again and reapply the leaves today." I saw Ellie's head looking over in Diego's direction. She looked worried. Sid was snoring in the background.

"Um, it looks like we could use some extra help today. Ellen and Ivera are busy with caring for a relative today from another herd." came Diego's voice to Ellie. "Do you think you and Renee could help with Manny?" I figured out that Ellen and Ivera were some kind of healers. They looked pretty old, at least mid 50's so they must have known a lot about the area and caring for other mammoths.

"Sure!" Ellie's expression brightened. I got the impression that Ellie had no training in healing so she hadn't gotten to help Manny much yesterday. I put on a happy expression too. Manny looked a bit worried since he was the one injured.

"Only if you're really careful." he Manny said.

"Don't worry, I'll watch." replied Diego. No one commented about me running off last night but I figured they had already talked about it to each other. Then came a thought of Casey's daughter! Maybe we could be friends.

"When are we doing it?' asked Manny nervously.

"Now, before Sid or the brothers get up." He had a point, Sid and the brothers were the last thing we needed. Ellie and I gathered materials by Diego's orders.

"What if they wake up?" I added.

"I'll move my brothers to a tree by the herd outside." said Ellie.

"Think Sid will sleep through it?" Manny asked.

"I'll move him by my brothers." With that Ellie carefully took Sid, Crash, and Eddie out of the cave without waking them. When the time came, Diego sat down patiently, keeping watch as if he had seen this done hundreds of time before though he looked a bit worried about the situation. Diego gave us the directions and we started. I was extremely nervous I would do something because the trunk was not fully trained yet. Manny laid his head down, bracing himself. Ellie noticed that the leaves were stuck with blood to his back. She went to get water while I carefully tried to get off the outer layer of leaves. They were stuck on good but soon Ellie returned and sprayed Manny which made him yell. She returned two more times and I saw we might need a holding area for water. I pounded a spot in the cave until it broke and cleaned it out with Diego's permission. I saw some herbs in the cave Ellie must have brought earlier. Now she attempted to get the leaves off. I heard Manny shout as she went deeper. With no nails to use, I used my bare trunk, and started scraping of the leaves gently now that the leaves were moistened. This idea seemed to work. The idea went well until we got close to the wound.

"Owww!" he shouted. I saw some blood coming.

"Apply pressure." instructed Diego.

I did as he said but this seemed to be pushing the mud, not my choice of materials for holding leaves together, deeper into the cuts.

"I think we should find where the leaves start and then peel them off."

"Good idea!" said Ellie.

"But slowly." I said. Unfortunately my idea was pretty painful for Manny. By the end of it, my trunk was covered in blood.

"Now we have to hose him off." She started to go for some water we had put in my hole.

"We have to make sure all bleeding is stopped first!" Diego snapped. Manny had begun looking a bit weak from pain and loss of blood and I knew I had to take some kind of action.

I put pressure from my trunk as well my body to stop the bleeding. Diego and Ellie first looked at me a bit strangely but it worked for Manny is what I should say, not for me.

Eventually it stopped and I got off him. Everyone but Manny looked at me, pleased even though now I desperately needed a bath and looked like I had been attacked by a saber.

"You really didn't have to go that far." Manny commented, a bit weakly, surprised about how at what I had just done.

"Ellie, hose down!" shouted Diego. I heard a few insects buzzing and wondered if they could talk. She sprayed Manny with cold water. Then it was back to mud and leaves.

"Shouldn't we use a thick skin or something to do this job?"

"No, mud with leaves help heal wounds and keep out infection. Besides, that would call for raiding a human camp." Diego stated.

"But you said Manny's wound looked infected earlier." I replied.

"Well, turns out it was just blood, the females put on a thicker layer of leaves than I expected." We worked as fast as we could with the mud as the bleeding resumed. By the end, Manny looked worn and blood was all over his fur like mine.

"Maybe weekly bandage changes would work better." Ellie suggested. Just hen Sid came in, becoming severely shocked after he saw the blood.

"Hi, wow, di-di-did, someone kill Manny? What happ-?" He got a look at the amount of blood on me, then fainted. Ellie went and picked up Sid, placing him on a bloodless area of the cave. Then she went to get more water to hose off the cave floor.

Diego and I had time to collect ourselves.

"The only way you two are going to get clean is a bath. Spraying won't do anything at this point."

I saw the herd was no where near. Following my glance, Diego said, "I already told the herd to move away because we were going to do this."

"I know, but how will we get Manny to the river?" Manny shot Diego a sickly but worried glance.

"You, Ellie and some others will help him. I hadn't expected him to lose this much blood." After Ellie returned and finished hosing off the cave, she sent her brothers who were still by the tree she had left them to the forest so they wouldn't interfere. Diego left and soon 2 mammoths, one brown, one grey, entered to help, a bit dazed when they saw but accepting of what happened. They looked about my age, shockingly, two teenagers, a boy and girl.

"They're the only mammoths I could find who would be strong enough for this but wouldn't alert anyone how bad this looks." They seemed very mature for their age. Even at a time like this, they readily introduced themselves.

"Hi, I'm Wendy said the girl."

"I'm um, Tantusk, Tan for short." said the boy, a bit more nervously." "Manny looked a bit intimidated about what they were going to do to him at this point.

Ellie heaved Manny to his feet. We took positions around him as Diego instructed. Ellie at his trunk holding it, me and Wendy on 1 side, and Tantusk at the other side who seemed stronger than he looked. We started inching forward. I tried to keep my balance as Manny's weight pushed on me. Wendy was the more talkative of the kids.

"Where are you from?"

I came up with an answer fast. "I came from a family group that got killed by human hunters." I said quickly.

"That's too bad. These things are becoming more common I heard." She stopped talking after that for a while. Diego followed, leading us to the closest river. I looked at Manny. He was looking very tired and a little perturbed about this. When we got to the river, everyone slowly released Manny into the water. Still strong and independent, he started to get the blood off himself. The other two mammoths and Diego watched by the riverbank. I dipped a foot in, only to find the water felt half frozen. I forced myself in, along with Ellie who took a place by Manny, cleaning off her trunk. I started cleaning and realized that if there was mammoth HIV, I definitely could have gotten it from this. After adjusting to the water and discovering how much trouble it was to clean off dried blood from fur so thick, I came up to Ellie to ask for help. She turned and told me what to do.

"You squeeze your fur. Then you fan it in the water. I think you have to do it layer by layer." I could see that she had been successful with cleaning her trunk. Manny and I were a different story, we had lots of work to do.

"Try rolling in the clay at the bottom." Manny said even though he was already tired and wouldn't be able to us this technique. I did and got most of it off soon after starting. Surprisingly, the leaves and mud seemed to stay glued to his back, I figured that it wasn't washing off because he was keeping his back above water. Manny soon tired and he sighed as me and Ellie had to work to clean him off. He didn't like being treated like he was so helpless. I picked up some clay along with Ellie and used it with efficiency. No sooner had we hauled Manny onto the bank than Diego snarled and Manny's eyes focused immediately. "Ellie, Manny, Renee, stay here. The rest of us will handle this." snapped Diego. I looked at the figure in the distance, it could only be Cedric. A vulture appeared overhead.

"Renee, help me get Manny into the water now!" Ellie yelled. We pushed Manny to a sheltered area of the river where we thought Cedric and the vulture couldn't see him. I watched as Diego, Wendy, and Tan fought Cedric off. Fortunately, Cedric had only brought Vinny to the river, not any other vultures. We dragged Manny out of the water and got him back to the cave by afternoon. Diego's idea and action about Manny should get a bandage change had backfired on him.


	9. A Possum Trick

My Story After Ice Age 3:

Sorry this chapter kind of go back to the last chapter because I had it as one big document when I first wrote it.

"You're saying Diego actually came up with the idea to almost kill Manny so we would drag him to the waterhole to be cleaned off and so we could have the cave to ourselves?" Sid said as though he had memorized it and appeared to be in a hypnotic state.

"Yep, that's what Diego said!" Crash said.

"Too bad we encouraged him to eat that mushroom." Eddie said, feeling guilty. The possums were snickering (mostly Crash) about how they'd fooled Sid by convincing him until his little bit of common sense vanished and he believed what they said while after he'd eaten a mushroom by accident. They wanted to turn it into a joke.

This was what was I heard as we entered the cave after taking many to the river. Thankfully for their lives, Diego was back with the herd, updating them on Manny but leaving that it was his miscalculation out. They heard us right away and ran to hide leaving a dazed Sid. We let Manny go, tired and weak but about to explode about what he had just heard. Wendy and Tantusk looked at each other shocked. I had no clue what to say or do but was still angry at the possums though and seriously felt like bopping one. Ellie charged to the crack they were hiding in and without a warning that she was there, bashed it so hard, they fell down, almost pasted out. They played dead and she threw them out.

"I can't believe you would do something like this! I seriously feel like I never want to see you again!"

Wendy shook Sid and got him out of his daze. Thankfully, it looked like the mushroom had made him drowsy and took away any reasoning in his head, it was not poisonous. He recovered after only a ½ hour and Ellie gave him a long explanation of the truth. Then Sid was angry for the first time I knew. However, being the loon he was, all he did was put his hands on his hips and make an angry look in the direction the possums had been thrown, which looked completely goofy and unnatural on him. Diego returned shocked to hear what the possums had did. Ellie assured him it was all taken care of but he still looked angry. Wendy and Tantusk who were still watching were also given a long explanation about to never tell anyone this as well as how this was common for the possums. They swore this would be kept secret and left. I was with Manny who had fallen asleep after Ellie had handled our possum problem but was still watching.

When she finished, Ellie spoke to us. She was still angry.

"I gonna get breakfast for everyone while I have a serious talk with my brothers. Diego, Renee, and Sid, stay here." She left without anyone accepting her statement. I realized she was no force to be reckoned with, especially when she was mad. I was also glad that she would be getting breakfast, only something Diego and Sid had had. Sid seemed in no mood to talk. I was shocked.

Finally Diego spoke.

"So, you guys angry at my idea?" he said guiltily. He, for once seemed extremely upset, because what he had indirectly caused this to his friend.

"No, it was kind of my idea too." I admitted, "I didn't know about that kind of thing and I would have mentioned it eventually if you hadn't Diego."

Sid looked sadly over at Manny, probably overwhelmed too what had happened to him.

Diego nodded to my statement, we were all in a way guilty.

Getting back to normal but still upset, Sid said "Should we wake Manny now?"

"No, let him sleep." replied Diego.

I decide to take a rest until Ellie came back, sad about what had happened.

When I woke it was the beginning of evening and I was starving and very thirsty. Ellie was back but Manny was still asleep. She told me that the possums wouldn't be welcome around here for a while.

"Um, I need to head out to eat." I said. I hadn't eaten all day and was afraid for my weight.

"Go ahead." said Ellie.


	10. Major Social Error

My Story After Ice Age 3:

This chapter is a little crazy in my opinion and so are some of the upcoming ones. It alo takes a little while before you see why it get its title. Sorry. lol

I returned at sunset, surprised that the herd was near the cave again. Someone I recognized looked at me. I went to the cave, to make sure Manny was ok with no time to spare even though I realized that I still hadn't been introduced to the herd like Manny had said but I was sure that everyone understood.

I returned to find Ellie by Manny. He looked like he had recovered a bit but still looked much worse than yesterday. His eyes were open partly. I wondered if I had been killed to save Manny or just in time to see him die?! I held back a shout.

Shakily, I asked "Are you ok Manny?" when I entered. This idea terrified me. Ellie turned to him but let him answer me.

"I'm doing better now. In a few days I should be a little more back to normal." Everyone stared at me, I must have been shaking badly and they would have all known why because of all the trauma lately. Ellie motioned for me to come over to them. She seemed to somehow be adopting me, her and Manny.

"It's ok, normally things like this don't normally happen." Ellie said, surprisingly cheerful. I told them my nightmarish idea of why I had come to them.

"No, you weren't." Manny said caringly. Ellie gave me caring eyes.

From the corner of my eyes, I could see Diego smiling and Sid crying happy tears that he wiped on Diego's back. After a while I got up and joined Diego and Sid. I started to go over to Sid to start a conversation to ask him how this was affecting him because no one ever took an ear to Sid when Casey's daughter came in. I looked at her. My mind blocked out that I had just been trying to have a talk with Sid. My mind traveled to Casey's daughter. I hadn't gotten her name yet.

"Hello, I'm Renee." I started.

"Hi, my name's Gara." she said back. "How did you get here?"

I gave the same answer as before with Wendy. I took a deep breath, trying to make it sound hard for me to say. "My family was killed when bunch of hunters came."

"Me, too sort of. My family got a disease and from the water we drank. We saw humans putting something into it. The only 3 of us that didn't drink it lived."

"That's too bad." I said. I wouldn't go into any detail about how I ended up here, especially because I was once a human.

She took an interest towards our herd's leader. "What happened to Manfred today?" I wondered why she used his full first name though I wasn't sure if anyone had last names. If so, they were not commonly used.

Diego covered in for me.

"He needed a bandage change. I asked but no one in the herd could help so we had Renee and Ellie do it. It seems like Ivera and Ellen made the leaves too thick. His skin got irritated and he lost some blood because Renee and Ellie don't have any medical training."

She was surprised. "Why didn't anyone help?" She obviously wasn't there when he had talked to the herd earlier.

Diego sighed. "Actually almost everyone wanted to help but as you know many are squeamish and are too nervous to handle things like this. You also must keep in mind that Manny had told me that he didn't want anyone much to see him like this." I realized that Manny probably didn't want anyone getting the wrong ideas that he was weak when he was supposed to be leader. For some reason, mammoth politics seemed very strict and complex, unlike how I had seen anyone behave in the ice age movies.

"Is he going to make it?" she whispered. I realized that while I had been thinking, Diego had taken her outside, probably because Diego wanted to discuss Manny's issues away from him. I realized that I had walked out of the cave with them. I had somehow followed them, perhaps because the answer to the question she had asked ment so much to me, though the cave was still in site and I had not walked far. Diego's hair bristled a bit. "We don't know for sure if he'll make it yet. Knowing how hardy he is, he will." My heart pounded. I realized that I had somehow made myself hide behind some bushes and trees after following them. I hadn't been conscious at all of it at all. Luckily they didn't notice me. Soon, she left an I went to the mouth of the cave with Diego. When he was about to enter the cave I spilled out what I had heard and what I had been doing, mentioning I had did it unconsciously of course which was true, making sure my voice was at a super quiet whisper. Diego seemed unhappy about what I heard but said it was ok. When I returned, it looked like Manny had just been moved. I figured out why because I had noticed this once yesterday and went in. Sid was unfocused on them, trying to draw on the cave floor. I realized the conversation between Nara and Diego must have gone on a while.

Manny was drinking water from Ellie's trunk and stopped right after I entered, embarrassed. I put on a smile and casually sat next to them, which was a mistake.

"Go ahead, drink." said Ellie.

"I, uh, well." he said giving her a look. He obviously thought that this either childish, it was not appropriate for him to be seen doing that in the presence of others because he was leader according to mammoth standards, or he didn't want me to see how much help he needed.

"Go ahead, I won't look." I said, another mistake. But as I turned away, Manny knew the impression he had given me by stopping and looked even more embarrassed. I hadn't seen Ellie's reaction yet.

"It's not that." Manny started. "I just uh-"he sighed because he knew he could not hide the truth. "-don't want anyone to see me like this." I was happy he had managed to tell me this. In the past this was something he would never have admitted.

He forced himself to drink water from her trunk in front of me. Diego came in. He put on a small look, but didn't make a big deal of it because Diego was his closest, if not second friend.

He finished and Ellie asked if he wanted more.

"Yeah." he said, a bit more calm now.

She left. Seeing Manny's show us a worried look, Sid sang "Love is in the air!"

Manny tried to bury his head in his feet. I thought he was disgusted. Diego looked puzzled but whacked Sid anyway. I showed no change of emotions, hoping not to provoke Sid to think or do anything. Instead I changed the subject and turned to Diego. "How long was I gone?" "Actually a whole half hour." Sid, hearing us, said, when you walked off, we thought you were easdropping on Diego and Nara. Is that true?" he asked slyly. Diego whacked him again, this time with force. I went over to Manny, hoping Sid would say no more.

"Hi." Manny said shyly. I forced myself to think that he was just nervous from me seeing him drink that way. Sid watched Manny closely.

I gave Manny a look.

"Nice to have you in the herd." he corrected himself but barely as I thought he was trying to do.

He gave Sid the evil eye who was smiling at us, probably because I refused to do anything.

Diego picked up on Manny's body language. He looked sheepishly over at Manny.

I moved away, hoping not to make anything worse.

When Ellie got back, Manny looked seriously upset with himself. Diego hid anything that had been going on by giving everyone his usual expression. I said I was going outside for dinner and left, taking a look at everyone behind me. Manny's expression told me he either was nervous about something to do with me or it was something else. I returned by about 9:30, about 3 1/2 hours, fearing I was eating too little. When I got back, unexpectedly, Diego was gone, probably dealing with herd matters or hunting, and Ellie was gone too. Sid was there, talking in his sleep. I was surprised anyone would leave Manny unguarded at this time. I hesitantly walked in. Manny was awake huddled in a corner.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Ellie's out foraging and Diego's hunting."

I stood there, not sure what to do, because of Manny's odd behaviors that night. Then I quickly made my decision and lay down next to Sid. I couldn't take his snoring for long so I found my own place.

Manny looked down, in deep thought. I decided to break the ice of what I thought Manny was feeling and pat Manny on the head which scared the living daylights out of him. I backed away, realizing I was being totally inappropriate for the situation. I tried to sleep but couldn't. A glimpse revealed Manny very worried. I didn't know what he was up to and I was questioning what was going on with him at this point.

"You ok?" No answer.

"Why are you so worried?" I tried again. At times like this, I could see where Manny totally lacked.

"Will Ellie think anything of this?" I said knowing I'd get an answer. I wasn't sure if he liked me or something else was deeply disturbing him. He definitely hadn't been like this yesterday when he talked.

Manny sighed, "I wanna be friends, nothing more." he said but this time I was definitely reading how he felt or so I thought.

"It's ok."

"I really can't do this." he said, gazing into open space.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked, testing him. No answer.

"Don't you just want to admit it right now to get it over with and get rid of all that nervousness?" No answer.

"What should I do? I have no idea what I'm doing. I don't want to harass you."

This seemed to alarm Manny a little. "Nothing. Not a word of this to anyone."

"What about Sid." I asked.

"He'll get the idea sooner or later." I stared at him, puzzled.

He sighed. There was something he had to tell me that he couldn't hold back any longer.

"I'm-I'm." he started, then decided to give me the easier thing for him to say first.

"First of all, I don't like you the same way you do." His words made me feel like I had just had a sharp thorn pushed into me.

"I've just been worried about the herd and that Cedric knows my condition now after today at the river. You came in at the wrong time. I, um, had just heard how bad the situation was with Cedric and me from the messengers. And you and Sid got the wrong impression and kind of made things worse." Manny's voice was small and he seemed very stressed.

"So when you said not a word of this to anyone, you were talking about your problems with Cedric out loud and about how not to tell anyone how we were acting."

"Yes." he said defeated. "I was trying to go with your idea a little bit when I was talking, hoping you'd give me some space."

"Sorry, Manfred." I used his full name to show him I meant it. Sometimes my social skills are lacking and I find it hard to figure out what you're really telling me."

"I know." he said, still worried.

Our conversation ended and he didn't look well. Afraid to do anything at all to him, I went to a corner, lay down, looked at him to see if he wanted to talk to me which he didn't, and went to sleep.


	11. Caring for Manny

My Story After Ice Age 3:

I woke up at about 6:30.

"He's not well." came Ellie's voice as soon as I opened my eyes. She was touching Manny's fur and he was laying there awake, looking very weak. I didn't want to repeat yesterday with him.

"That's too bad."

Diego walked in worried. He seemed to have skipped his morning hunt. I was at a loss for words. I just stood there. I didn't know if Ellie and Diego knew what was worrying him. I dared not speak of it but what if Manny's condition had been caused by it.

"Diego, can I see you over here for a minute?" He immediately followed and Manny lay there without a change of expression.

"What's going on?" I asked him.

"It seems like Manny has an infection."

"Is it for sure this time?"

"Well, he's definitely acting sick. I don't think it' just from losing blood." Diego said. My fur prickled. From what I thought now, Diego had picked up signs of infection before anyone else if he was right about it this time. Diego had still made an eror about the bandage change but he seemed right that Manny was sick.

Then he continued about the night before. "I don't know if you should know this but Cedric saw Manny at the river yesterday and used those leaf bombs to drive the herd out. Manny can't go back to get the herd but I left to handle it last night. The messengers told him whle you were goen"

"What about how Manny was so worried before I left last night, before the messengers came?" I hoped that Manny was ok with me asking this.

"He heard a rumor about Cedric when you were out with me and Nara. That was confirmed by the messengers when you were out foraging." He a little upset yet still calm.

"Listen, don't let this worry you. Even now, I can tell Manny's gonna make it." he said. I brightened up a little. Diego knew more about this than anyone else and sometimes I thought he was smarter than any human.

"What about the herd?" I asked.

"They're more of a concern to Manny than his back." he said. I realized that Manny was afraid that he would lose them to Cedric. Diego was handling it. The herd seemed like more of a worry for Diego than Manny, probably because he knew best how tough Manny was and how Manny let his herd worry him so badly.

"Do you think that Cedric's-I don' mean to offend anyone but- evil?" I asked doubtfully.

"Well he does do very bad things. I think it's a possibility. Let's go back to the cave."

Evil or someone being a villain wasn't something the animals usually used though humans gave some characters the label in movies. I reasoned that like humans never seem to call anyone evil in my old world, animals didn't really either to others. I returned to the cave. Sid was yawning, just waking up, this was early for him. Manny was lying there, looking sick.

"You can take over." Ellie said, heading out for food, hugging Manny before she left. Manny obviously hadn't told her about what had happened between us last night.

He looked up at me briefly. I lay down as Ellie had but gave Manny as much space as I could. Sid, who had finished waking up, saw us and smirked.

"You two definitely love each other."

"No, he told me he doesn't." I tried to say as gently as I could. My calmness seemed to surprise Sid. He stood there thinking for a minute.

"Come with me." Diego said, a bit irritably. "I'll explain everything to you out here."

He obviously didn't want me to hear about Manny again. They walked out, leaving me and Manny alone, something I didn't think was a good idea.

I lay there away from him and said nothing, letting the fear of making a mistake get the best of me. I looked at his back, a little more blood soaked than with the previously bandage even though me and Ellie had still done a very good job, especially for our first time doing this.

Manny started to talk. "Can you get me some water?" I returned with a trunk full of water, my trunk raised in the air so it wouldn't come out. I still couldn't keep water in it.

Holding my trunk up like an idiot, I asked "Do you want to drink or be cooled off."

"Both." he sounded embarrassed by me having to offer water from my trunk but not nearly as embarrassed as yesterday.

I tried to shower him first. He shivered as I tried my best to keep the water at a good flow, sometimes too much at once, sometimes too little. I returned with more water for him to drink. He willingly took it from my trunk. Unfortunately I had to make him suck upward with my trunk close to the ground, otherwise I would have showered him in the face by mistake.

"Are you hungry?"

"Not really." he answered. This was a bad sign and in the ice age, I wondered if animals normally recovered from this severe an injury.

He started to get ready to sleep. I moved up against him but he didn't seem to mind. He was probably still cold from my shower.

"The herd'll be ok." I said.

His eyes opened a little. "I'm not so sure."

"Manny," I said, "right now you just need to focus on getting better, nothing else."

He glanced at me, considering it, then let out a sigh, falling asleep.

Diego and Sid returned. Sid looked a little battered and didn't comment when he saw us together. I left for water and food. I broke down almost a whole tree and brought it back, in case someone wanted it and kind of over testing my strength. I got embarrassed and finished almost all of it over an hour, actually feeling quite full for once afterwards. By now, Sid was bored, in a corner, trying to do something with a stick and Diego was watching Manny who still slept. I gave the rest of the tree to him if he was hungry when he woke. Ellie was still gone, I wondered if there was a problem but this was probably normal since mammoths needed to eat so much. Manny went soon and Diego took care of it from there. I felt a little squeamish.

Diego and Sid seemed to ignore it.

Manny woke up, looking deeply disgusted with himself to the point where he looked sick to his stomach, after realizing what had been done for him.

I patted him gently. He seemed to calm down a little. Sid stared at us.

I whacked Sid myself on the leg, not the head, hoping to help him retain what little sense he had. He was clearly used to it on his head.

"What was that for?"

"Making Manny feel worse about being cared for when he's sick."

Sid rubbed his leg.

"Ok." he said after recovering, "I'm going out to eat. If anyone wants to join me, let me know." With that he, left in a fast paced waddle. I smiled at Manny, hoping he'd pick up on the joke. He only looked over at me, no sign of humor on his face. I left for more water for him. When Diego saw the way I had him drink, Diego looked surprised but said nothing. I saw Manny's eyes suddenly open and heard a low rumble from his throat. I had no idea whatsoever what it meant.

"Ellie's coming." he said.

"I pretty sure that was a greeting." Diego commented. I had no knowledge on the more primitive sounds of mammoths, something I needed to learn.

Ellie came in, holding some herbs for Manny. Diego inspected them once she put them down, probably making sure that they could be used by mammoths as well as possums. By now, by the way everyone was acting, I could tell that they agreed that Manny had an infection and I also agreed.

"They're ok."

Ellie gave Manny a description of what each did.

"That one's for pain, those 2 are for infections, and this one helps heal cuts." she said pointing. Manny didn't look too grateful to have their descriptions spelled out for him but thanked her and started eating them. He looked like he was too sick to have an appetite but ate anyway. He stayed awake as Ellie spoke to him.

"How've you been? Doing any better?"

"I'm not sure." he admitted. She took her place beside him moved away. I realized that he was taking my advice about focusing on getting better though I knew he was still thinking a little about the herd. He moved his limbs slightly, getting comfortable now that Ellie was there.


	12. Nara Pays a Visit and Calendar Talk

My Story After Ice Age 3:

Note: Takes place a few hours after the last chapter.

Nara came in suddenly. "Where are Wendy and Tantusk?"

"They're with the herd. They're trying to keep everything in order." Diego answered. "Shouldn't you be with your father? Diego said.

"Well, Chano and him are really busy. I thought I'd stay with you guys for a while." I wondered why she was so cheerful around us, yet she was probably moody and upset around others according to Casey and Manny's earlier talk.

"But does your father know where you are?"

"I told him." she answered.

"I guess you can stay then for a little while then."

"Good." She looked over at me, she seemed to be thinking of me as a friend.

"You ok with all this?" Nara asked.

"Yeah, how have you been?"

Her expression deepened. "Oh, pretty good." She stood next to me. Manny looked a little overwhelmed by Nara being in the cave with us. Nara noticed my gaze towards him. "So how'd you become friends with Manfred?" Nara asked, curious.

"Well, we've both lost our families at some point. We have a lot in common."

Nara nodded. Family was something she really seemed to think a lot about. Manny looked at us. He seemed to be uncertain about something with Nara and I becoming friends. I was dreading that someday I would have to tell my secret to her. I wouldn't tell her now though; I wanted to make sure that we were pretty good friends before I did that with permission from Diego or Manny of course.

"So, is there something you're planning on specializing on?" Nara asked me.

I thought fast. "I want to be an inventor of some sort."

"Wow. It must take a lot of guts to do that! That calls for visiting a lot of human villages. Normally mammoths don't have jobs or anything. I just like asking."

"Yeah." I said. "I think I understand humans pretty well though and I am pretty creative so it won't have to visit humans too often. What do you want to do?"

"Have a family, just live in a small herd. I think I wanna study humans if I ever figure out how to observe them without getting myself in danger. It probably won't happen though; humans are extremely dangerous." I thought of how she might despise me if she knew who I really was and how humans in my world got a bad rep with animals often. Manny looked in our direction. I smiled and resumed the conversation.

"So, when's your birthday?"

"June, 2nd."

"What year?" I asked, hoping they had a calendar.

"23,890 AI, I'm turning 17."

"Cool, I was born September, 13th. 23,890 AI." I added, figuring out the year quick.

"That's nice. We're both turning 17 soon." Manny seemed to have more energy right now. His eyes were open and he was listening closely. Ellie and Diego were a little more polite and were busy doing their own things. Diego was scratching out a sloth drawing Sid had done and Ellie was standing next to Manny, checking how he was doing.

"Are you having a party?" I asked.

"No." she said, suddenly she seemed sad. "I don't really have any friends right now."

"Well, I'll be your friend and hang out with you on your birthday." I offered.

In my old world it was late May, when I left it so her birthday had to be coming up soon.

"Thanks." she said, starting to lighten up. "It's exactly 2 weeks from today."

"Can I invite Wendy and Tantusk?" I asked.

"Ok, maybe I can get to know them a little better then. I'd better get going."

"Bye." I waved.

"See you later Renee." She said as she left, looking very happy. I was surprised how open she was. I had never had someone so friendly to me in the human world. Maybe mammoths were different, or maybe Nara was so interested because she felt like I was somehow nicer than other mammoths. I wondered if she'd still accept me if she found out who I was. But, meanwhile, I had some questions.

"What does AI stand for and what is 23,890 years after?"

"After ice, the number is the years after the ice age began." replied Diego.

"But weren't there ice ages before?" I had known that in my world, the world had cooled and then slightly warmed during the ice age period that had lasted 2 million years. Another words, ice ages had come and gone but the world had still been in a ice age period, the most recent meltdown in my world being 10,000 years ago. I hadn't been sure if another ice age would start eventually in my old world or not.

"Yeah. We keep track by the estimate of what year each ice age starts and when it ends, we start over, but still keep track of how many ice ages there were."

"Wow! Is this calendar used often?"

"Just for the animals that know their birthdays and for reference." he answered. "If this meltdown that has been going on continues, we'll have to start the years over." I knew that he was referring to the warm up after Ice Age 2.

"Thanks for the info." I said. Manny seemed to want something from me. I turned to him

"Well, I don't know if Nara can be your friend if you tell her who you were."

"Why not?"

"Her father is very fearful around humans. Has been all his life. Unless Casey and you really get to know each other really well, he might break up your friendship, just like that, if he even gets a hint you had anything to do with humans."

"Manny!" Ellie, interrupted him. "You can't know the truth just like that."

"Well, I know very well about Casey's feelings towards humans."

"So, you're saying Renee can't be her friend."

"I didn't say that!"

Before an argument broke out and Manny lost his temper I interrupted them. I lightly hit my foot on the cave floor to get their attention.

"I think I'll ask Diego before I make the move to tell Nara. I'm not ready to yet, but in time I think I should. I'll ask Diego when the time feels right." Diego nodded ok.

Manny frowned. He didn't like me deciding things without him like that and must have felt strongly about his opinion like he usually did. Ellie looked lovingly at him.

"Can't have your way all the time." she said, smiling. This didn't change Manny's mind. He looked very worried. I went over to him to give him some attention, something I was sure he would be unhappy with me for doing now. He sighed; he looked a bit overheated, probably from all the excitement going on. Ellie felt his forehead.

"I'll go get you some water." He nodded, obviously wishing he could be more independent. I touched his hair.

"You know, sometimes you have to trust accept other people's opinions. I do see your point as well as mine." Manny looked up at me, then sighed. I smiled at him, he still had some growing to do. Ellie came in and sprayed him with water. He shivered. This must have been a crazy time for him. I sat down next to Ellie as she added her warmth to Manny. She chuckled; I thought she sort of liked getting at Manny sometimes. Soon he calmed and his eyes closed, falling asleep


	13. A Major Fight

My Story After Ice Age 3:

Another wacky chapter.

It was a few hours later. I was out grazing and I decided to try if I could figure out what kind of infection Manny had. It had certainly shown fast so it had to be something serious. Then again, Manny had looked worse the second day from losing blood. Whatever had infected him could have done so at any time. .I didn't know how his back looked so I was purely guessing. All I knew was it was not a virus and caused symptoms of fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, fever, and weakness though almost all of those things also could have been caused by loss of blood. Thinking about that, maybe he didn't have an infection but thinking twice, an infection was still very likely. I also had not gotten it even though I had been in contact with a great deal of blood. I headed back, feeling like my guess could have been as good as Sid's, given my lack of info and time Manny had been infected. When I returned, Sid was back, eyeing me as I walked in. I noticed that Diego and my half eaten tree were gone. Ellie was moving a large stick with something dark on it in a fire as Manny watched.

"What are you cooking?" I asked even though I was definitely not hungry.

"I'm making something for Sid."

I was shocked. I thought not even Ellie would have done this.

"Your turn." She switched places with Sid. I wondered what Diego would make of this.

Whatever this dish was, it already looked sort of burned, probably an error of Sid's.

"What is it?"

"Wild squash." Sid replied, smiling his lateral lisp more present than usual in his voice.

"Is it rare?" I asked, testing if it was valuable.

"Oh, yeah, it only comes in season now and sloths are the only creatures important enough to enjoy them. Mammoths hate them." He said quickly when Ellie gave him a glance.

"Want some?" Ellie asked.

"No thanks, maybe I'll try them some other time." I turned my attention towards Manny. I hoped no one was growing sick of it. He looked at me but barely, his eyes lost in the firelight.

"You ok?" I asked. I occurred to me that Manny was having thoughts about losing his herd to Cedric who he knew could not be trusted. Other than this, Manny looked pretty good and was holding his head up, totally awake. Eventually he went out of his daze when he finally caught my look and sighed.

"Don't you ever think of anything happy?" I asked, concerned.

"I'm- there's a lot going on right now."

"I know but wouldn't you feel a lot better if you let go of this for one minute and gave yourself a break." Ellie, who had been watching, came by my side to support what I was saying. Manny sighed again and lay his head down, he was still stuck in his ways.

"It's not a fate worse than death to disagree." Ellie said.

"It's not that." I spoke for Manny. "He's so worried about his herd and not being able to defend it that he can't seem to accept any other people's thoughts about much of anything though he's made great progress since you met him."

Ellie eyes widened. "You really feel that strongly?"

"Yes." he said quietly, shocked how I had hit the nailed his thoughts almost exactly. He groaned quietly and let his head go to the ground.

"Have you been fighting back sleep to think of this?" Ellie asked.

He sighed. "Kind of." I wondered where he had adopted bad habits like this. He looked down, tired, almost depressed. I wished that he would accept that I very much cared.

"I wish you knew how much you and your herd mean to me."

His ears twitched. "Thank you." he managed. He brighenedup slightly but he still seemed to be taking things poorly about the herd.

"What's wrong with him?" I asked.

"I think he's depressed." Ellie said to me. I looked at his back. The leaves on it looked blood soaked but it was impossible to tell anything else about it.

"Listen, I'm gonna go find Diego." I told her.

"Go, ahead. I think he went hunting only a little ways off."

"Tell him there's something I need of him." Manny said.

"I'll be sure to tell him."

Ellie took over.  
I started to head out.

Sid, who was watching, took this opportunity to go Manny's side but Ellie stopped him. I felt very thankful to her as I left. I was about to cross the first river I came to in my search for Diego when I noticed a dark form laying on the edge of the riverbank. I almost immediately recognized who it was by a set of piercing brown eyes.

"What do you want?" came an angry, gruff voice.

"What do you want?" I repeated. "You're on my territory." I knew he was twice my size but what was I to do when he confronted me only a fraction of a mile from the cave. Run off scared and lead Cedric to the cave? I realized my decision to speak was a foolish one when he got up, and I saw his height, almost taller than Manny's. However, a bite from Diego on the shoulder, some pretty deep tusk marks on his legs from Manny, and most noticeable, an open, red gash was on his right side from where I had attacked him that day was there. It looked infected and like it ran deep but he was in no mood to act injured or sickly.

"Wanna play again little gal?" he threatened.

"And you are?" I said, trying to surprise him.

"Cedric, you'd best remember it." he said, moving closer even though I copied his glare and stood my ground. "Who do you think you are?"

"Renee, you'd best remember it too because I've got a history you might need to worry about."

"Oh yeah?" With no explanation or reason he circled and tried to gore my side. With no choice, I fought back, whorled, but not defensively away. I wanted to prove a point. I clashed with his head, running on pure adrenalin. He went for my chest. I fiercely guarded myself and whacked him with a tusk on the head. I automatically tried to gain ground but I was clashed back right away with a force that could seriously feel as hard as the weight of a house collapsing down on you. I narrowed my eyes and almost fell when I tried to slash him in the neck. A low rumble escaped my throat. I realized that in mammoth language, it was a quiet call for help. I ran away and then charged on Cedric who followed me with his eyes and barricaded me with his head. He charged me without warning. I got out of the way just in time, amazingly moving fast enough to get a tusk into his underside. By the micro-second glance I got of it before Cedric changed strategies, it looked almost as bad as the one I had done earlier. Before I knew it, he had adopted my strategy and cut both tusks into my belly, knocking me down. I tried to grab onto Cedric with my trunk as blood gushed out and horrible pain beyond belief filled my body. However, I had stuck him in the eye with one foot when he gored me. As he charged to end it and I took another, but this time limping charge toward him, no sooner had he struck my back hard and knocked me down again than an unbelievably loud screech of a trumpet exploded, blocking out my senses from a nearby bush. Whatever it was, I saw the figure accompanied by another creature as it bashed Cedric to the ground, goring and biting his neck, and then everything was just red before my vision dimmed and I closed my eyes. Nothing went black but I seemed to be in a weak, dreamlike state. I heard something snarl as a weak pounding of feet charged away. There was a brief conversation between 2 individuals. Soon, I felt someone attempting to lift me, then another. Due to my weight, whatever was taking me almost dragged me, losing a good hold of me many times before I was placed by something warm and furry on a cold surface. Then something that felt like mud and water was rubbed over me. Whatever it was, it huddled around me and I could almost make out faces that seemed familiar, staring at me. I heard a deep voice give orders to someone. Then, as my vision cleared, I could see a caring face, sickly, but the one I recognized as Manny's. I groaned. I tried to lift my head up to turn because I was on my side but failed and was caught by something strong and wiry, but gentle. Soon cold water rushed over me, making me shiver. Then what felt like a warm fur or a pelt was placed over my gashes with something extremely sticky. Then warmth surrounded me as I fell asleep.


	14. Getting Things Straight

My Story After Ice Age 3:

This one is a quite crazy with the romance/deep feelings kind of stuff. I also named this chapter randomly bcause I could think of nothing else. lol

When I woke I was dizzy and weak. I saw Manny next to me who looked sick but seemed very nurturing. Without words he pulled me closer to him with his trunk. I wondered how he had changed so drastically.

"Manny?" I started weakly.

"How are you feeling?" came his voice. He looked sick as well but I didn't care. If we were injured, now we would be injured together. How this happened came flooding back to me.

"I know what happened." I managed weakly. Manny looked slightly surprised that I would be so alert at such a time but just went on caring for me, rubbing my back and head. I weakly tried to copy before my energy ran out and my trunk fell very close to one of his eyes. He laughed lightly which brought a smile to my face. From the others near, I could hear cries of joy as well as sadness. I figured that they were the rest of my odd couple herd that I now felt were caring, nice, and important more than ever before. I felt some wind as a familiar seeming thing approached from behind me.

"Is she doing alright? She's been a great friend to me." It was Nara.

"She seems pretty badly wounded. Being so young, she'll probably be ok."

Thinking of how Manny could have an infection. I asked anxiously, "What if I catch Manny's infection." Manny didn't look offended. He knew very well that I wouldn't be able to think straight, yet alone, he seemed surprised at my strength. My vision still wasn't clear but was hazy and I had no idea what time of day it was.

"It's not contagious." Manny said.

"How do you know?" I raised my voice the highest volume it could go now, after all I could very well die.

"Diego, Nara, and Tantusk all checked." said Manny, sounding sure of himself. They know that I have a bacterial infection.

"What's its name?" I said, still anxious.

"Um, it's long and complicated. I think it starts with "S". Tantusk's mother had it once and recovered in about 2 weeks. He doesn't know the exact name" I looked at him, my expression asking for more information. After all, both of our lives were at stake. He resumed, "It cannot be spread from person to person. You can only catch it when the bacteria in the air are in direct contact with your blood.

"But what if your blood got on me?" I said which it had before.

A set of nocturnal eyes came close to us. Suddenly I saw the form and recognized the creature as Diego. He took over. "It can't infect someone from blood to wound contact. From what I know, it can only infect people while it's in its aerial stage."

"Then how do it multiply?"

He thought for a second. "I guess it sends off pathogens from the wound but it's not contagious at this point." Animals didn't normally talk this complexly, especially going on and on about one topic although everyone seemed patient with me.

"Ok." I finally said. "Thank you." I finally took my own advice and relaxed.

Nara, who had forgotten had been watching spoke. "Don't worry, I think it's real common." Her reassurance felt like more than Manny's or Diego's at that point. Besides, the group would never put me by Manny if there was a chance of infection. I heard Nara call Tantusk over.

"Where is your mother?" she asked.

"She's in another herd." he said sadly.

"Can you get her?"

"She's really far off. I don't know exactly where her herd is this time of year." Tantusk glanced at me and Manny. He cared but seemed unsure of himself as usual.

"I think I'd better get back to the herd." he finally said. He walked off, giving a brief gesture that he was leaving.

Nara looked at me and Manny. "If you need anything, just let us know." she said both caringly and sadly. My vision was clearing a bit now and I could see the light of a fire in the cave. It must have been late. I also noticed there was almost no blood in my fur. There was some sandy stuff though. I realized someone had cleaned me off with clay like Manny had taught me to remove dried blood from fur

"We will." Manny said. She left. I realized that she was the one who beat up Cedric. She didn't look too hurt except for a bruise and a few small cuts as I could see as her body passed through the firelight. Ellie came in and Sid revealed himself when he stepped forward. They must have known of the details.

"Good job out there." started Sid.

"More like good but be more careful." Manny said back to Sid.

"You two are superb fighters." Ellie said, greeting Manny. She lay down near but not up against Manny. He hugged her back.

"Is the herd doing better?" she asked to him.

"Well, Cedric's badly wounded. I heard that the vultures aren't guarding the herd as much. If it keeps up, they should be able to return soon." He smiled. He was feeling a lot better but he still looked concerned and lay his head down pretty close to mine. He still was sick though, he looked it. A look at his back also revealed more blood and a slight change in position of the bandage. It must have been moved when everyone checked to see what disease he had. I realized someone must have somehow given me water while I was asleep earlier because I was not at all thirsty. My vision started to fade out again as my energy started to drain. I closed my eyes and slept.

However, my comfort was not long lasted. I woke up screaming as a deep, penetrating, sharp pain filled me. I felt it could almost be coming from my guts. As I realized I had woken everyone, I buried my mouth in my trunk, still screaming, but trying not to startle anyone. I felt Manny's trunk go over my shoulder as I fought back tears, still shrieking in pain. Ellie felt Ellie as she came up and tried to comfort both of us. I didn't look up but I knew Sid and Diego were near. The possums also had to be close by because I had heard Eddie's voice as he tried to talk to Diego though I couldn't make out the words. I shook as Ellie coaxed me over to feel where I had been gored. She felt it which hurt even more but stepped back without a word as I tried harder to muffle my screaming. Eventually I wore out and my screams stopped. I felt Manny holding me close. I wondered what he thought of me to be so kind but right now my mind was mainly focused on the excruciating pain. Eventually I calmed and I somehow fell back to sleep.

The next morning, when I woke up it was dawn and Diego was the only one awake, keeping an eye on things. The possums were also back, hanging in their usual up side down position. I scooted away from Manny and lifted my head up slightly, surprised I had the strength. Diego came over.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better." I said. The pain was now just a bad ache and my vision seemed to be only a little hazy. I tried to get up but fell over, from weakness and the sudden pain that shot through me where I had been hurt. I fell down quickly.

"Take it easy." said Diego.

"I will." I said scooting back to Manny and Ellie. I lay there just resting for another hour until I felt some stirring beside me. I opened my eyes to see Ellie rising and Manny looking over at her, giving her a good morning. Then he looked over at me. He seemed almost alarmed to see how peppy I was though I still lay my head on the cave floor.

"The possums are back." Ellie pointed, mostly enthusiastic but a little worried.

"They're fine." I told her. That is, I was also fine until the pain and rush of memories from yesterday came back. I shut my eyes and tried to endure it.

Ellie, who had just heard my comment before I did this, came over. I opened my eyes. This pain wasn't as bad as before but even with my eyes open, the fight as well as the traffic accident was playing vividly in my head. Manny seemed to recognize what was going on with me. I shook myself, trying to get the memories out. I didn't really know what Manny and Ellie were doing because it felt like I was seeing what I had remembered. It was a treat to see my old world as it had been but with the sudden collision, the feeling of hitting the ground, and seeing the car wrecked and almost in flames as well as the face of the drunk driver made me wish I couldn't ever even recall it. There was one thing that was missing though. My body never registered as so much something touching me before I died. Perhaps the truck was too fast, probably the case, or this might have been what allowed me to live on. Then the fight with Cedric played, how it had all started, the short time the fight went on that felt somehow lengthened, and then the trumpet as louder than a jet taking off that had saved my life went through my mind. Then the memory of losing blood came but the trip back to the cave I seemed to forget. Then I started thinking about the Holocaust my grandfather went through that I had no memory of. I had just starting thinking about that when a touch from Diego's paw got me out of my trance. I saw everyone including Sid and the possums looking at me. Surprising, probably the most to me, I told everyone every detail I could remember openly, including the Holocaust that they had no knowledge about but readily accepted that it had happened in my old world and showed they had feelings about it. Ellie and Manny seemed especially open. At this point I wasn't sure if they thought of me as a daughter or something more. Then what he thought hit me. He thought of me like family but much closer due to the way we valued family so much, him not wanting me to be changed by what events had happened to me and were able to at least on my side as I knew talk about it freely. There were still things I felt I didn't know about how we viewed each other but this seemed like enough for now. Manny seemed to be looking into my eyes now, definitely feeling a great bond starting. I went out of the cave, walking clumsily as dizziness affected my balance, to go for a moment. Then I went back by Manny's side. However, after all this, my pain was back and I was tired. Apparently his energy had been draining too and Manny and I fell asleep, probably me before him.


	15. A Visit from Casey

My Story After Ice Age 3:

It was late evening of the next day. By now, I was able to have my own spot in the cave, my energy slowly returning though I felt bounds of extreme pain that would probably last for weeks. Diego was out hunting but he was the only one gone. Casey came alone with news. He looked quite pleased. Manny gave Casey his attention. I watched as well along with Sid, Ellie, Crash, and Eddie who seemed to never talk when Casey spoke.

"Manfred." His voice had a lot of seriousness to it but a hint of joy. "The herd is moving back to the cave tomorrow. They have regrouped and will be ready to help you if you need it."

"Good. But Diego and I have decided that we need to move to better grounds. I know that Cedric and the vultures will attack again if he makes it. But I also know that the vultures will not go beyond Maple Ridge because they are nesting here. We need to move the herd past there as soon as I am doing well enough. It will also be closer to the migration path." After this comment, I felt like I was in the army or dealing with businessman, Manny being the manager or general.

"Great, I'll let them know soon but I do have something I could like to say about my daughter." His expression brightened.

"Go ahead." Manny seemed very interested.

" Nara is doing better. She went over to the herd and didn't exclude herself. She is also showing in interest in some other kids her age. She somehow seems better after the fight, strangely." Manny and I both knew why.

"I've noticed that she seems to be making some friends." The two seemed to be in a friendly conversation now but it was short lived.

Sid interrupted. "Yeah. Nara's been real close to Renee lately." he said, grinning. "I bet they'll know everything that's ever happened to each other soon." He pointed to me, hinting. Casey looked curiously over at me but disregarded it.

Manny saw the problem with what Sid was doing. "Well, it sounds like you've heard good things from others. Why don't you talk to Nara to see how she is doing? I'm sure she has a lot of things to tell you."

Casey hesitated. I got the impression that he cared very much for Nara but they didn't talk often, the reason I didn't know why.

"I'm sure talking to her is the right way. I know she's just held back in the past. Go on." Ellie encouraged Casey, suddenly.

"Yeah. I'm certain Nara will have a lot to say after all this time. Thank you." he beamed, then headed out and left happily, this talk with us had definitely lightened his spirits.


	16. Meat Gone Astray

My Story After Ice Age 3:

Another chapter! Yay!

The next week was boring and went on and on. I ate, slept, and drank, though I spent a lot of time talking to the others. On the 8th day after my injury I decided I wanted and had the energy to go out though pain was still an opposing factor. By now Manny and I, (especially Manny) were standing most of the time even though if I stretched too much is there was still felt pain.

"Can I go out?" I asked Diego that morning.

"If someone keeps an eye on you." replied Diego

Before Diego could say anything else Ellie offered herself. "I'd love to take you out! Manny could come too." The possums started to beg Ellie to go also.

"What about Cedric?" said Sid nervously. "Oh, I have a plan! I could come too."

By now Manny was looking a little confused about how this had drawn so much attention.

"It'll be like to old days when we first met!" said Sid excitedly to Manny starting to go on about it.

"Fine." Manny finally agreed. Diego who had been watching the whole time led us out. I wondered if faces would look when they saw a mammoth with leaves still on its back and even what the herd would think with all of us out. We walked at a snail's pace. I realized that I was more of a fast moving mammoth like Ellie even though I walked slowly now because I was still injured.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"To the herd." replied Manny. I was surprised and happy. Sid looked unhappy about Manny's statement.

"Can't we just play around?" asked Sid. Crash and Eddie were already fooling about on the ground.

"No." Manny gave Sid a look.

"Come on Manny!" Sid argued.

"I said no." He looked over at the rest of us, hoping we'd take a stand.

"Do you wanna be socked now or later?" I told Sid, joking though I knew one of us would do it eventually if he kept up. Luckily, Sid silenced himself after that. Diego smirked a little at my joke. After walking a few blocks we arrived. I didn't know how this would go. Most of the herd saw us and almost immediately gave us attention. There looked like there were about 40-50 individuals, some recognizable from Ice Age 2.

"I've brought your leader back." Diego announced. I wondered if this had been somehow planned out without me knowing it. I heard some trumpets of greeting as we approached. Now that the introduction was official, and because of the unusually bright morning sunlight, I felt like I was finally really seeing the herd. There were mammoths varying shades of brown, black, gray, orange, bluish gray and even a white one that stuck out. There were about 5 that looked in their teens and only 3 small youngsters. The majority of the herd was in their 30's and 40's. I gazed into the herd again but strangely, I could find Casey and Chano but not Nara. However, now was a happy time and Manny and Ellie stepped forward, waving their trunks in greeting. Sid waved and danced like an idiot and Diego walked along side us looking very pleased. I tried to pick up the pace as they were doing in the welcome-back ceremony but I had a limp and started to fall behind. Ellie noticed and toned down everyone pace by waving her trunk in Manny's face. I started to feel like this was going to be very awkward. Now trunks went and wrapped around our odd bunch as we were welcomed. Unfortunately, one of the five youngsters went to Sid and hugged him way too tight. I laughed and walked on though mammoth trunks feeling me felt pretty weird. Eventually, Manny gazed out to the herd signaling an end and thanked them. I wasn't sure what would happen next. Would we be going back to the cave or were we going to do something else? Another look at the herd revealed that they were gazing over at us but dispersing.

"That was great wasn't it?" exclaimed Ellie.

"Yeah but we need to get moving." Manny said to her. Then he announced something. "Tomorrow, because of the vulture threat, we will need to move to new grounds." The herd nodded. "I'm sure all of you know already about this but I'm just letting you know that the official time is tomorrow."

Ellie nodded and waved her trunk that Manny was done talking. I realized that she must be the matriarch of the herd if no one else was.

I looked over towards Manny, giving him a glance. I was excited but I didn't know how I would keep up the pace once the herd began to move. Luckily he read my mind.

"Don't worry, I'll have everyone going slow at first." We went along with the herd as we headed out to graze. The possums came along but found a log to eat insects from. I was about 15 minutes into eating when an old urge swept over me. I wanted to eat meat. I didn't know if I could now that I was a mammoth, especially since it would be a dead give-away to the herd something was up with me if I ate meat. I went up to Ellie, knowing she would be the most understanding.

"Ellie, I know this is really weird but I think I feel like eating meat or something."

She looked a little surprised. "Oh, do you? Maybe Diego can go on a hunt with you."

Diego paused upon hearing this. "What?"

Ellie repeated herself, this time to Diego. "Diego, I think Renee can eat meat. Do you wanna go hunting with her?"

This time she said it, it got Sid and Manny's attention.

"Wait, you wanna eat meat?" Sid said surprised.

Manny eyed us. "Wouldn't becoming a mammoth have turned you into a vegetarian?"

"I guess not. " I replied. "Then again, I've never eaten raw meat so it would take some getting used to. Maybe I could eat fish instead." I was not happy with myself for offering to eat fish because I had not touched fish since I was 11 when I realized how friendly and smart goldfish could be when I started keeping them.

"Don't you think you'd be better off with plants instead?" Manny asked.

"Oh, come on Manny, you know how possums will be possums and humans will be humans." Sid said.

"Ok, Diego, what do you think?" Manny asked.

"It would be ok if it is fishing." I could see that he didn't want me competing with him for kills. He had a point; a mammoth would need to eat a lot.

"Ok, it's agreed then. You can go fishing with Diego as soon as you're up to it."

I nodded but killing fish just felt wrong, not that killing talking herbivores felt any better.

"Hey, wanna go bug catching with me and my brothers?" Ellie offered, enlightened.

"Ok." I nodded uncertainly though I went with her anyway.

Ellie led me to the log with her brothers. I saw a surprised Sid and Manny made a face.

Diego smirked. "Maybe she'll end up being a possum." I figured that there would be some glaring and idiotic comments from Sid after I heard that as I left. Ellie met her brothers at the log.

"Crash, Eddie, can Renee eat bugs with you?" They grinned mischievously.

"I don't think I wanna eat anything from in there. Catching insects will do."

"Suit yourself." Ellie said turning. The brothers looked at me smiling once more. I was aware that I was about to have my first Crash and Eddie joke played on me. I hoped to outsmart them though. The mammoth herd and my odd-ball herd were in the distance if I needed anything.

"Hey, wanna try this?" Crash held out to a rotting grub.

"But it's not living." I said.

"That's the point." said Eddie. "Hey wait!" Eddie conversed with in brother in whispers coming up with something. I just stood there, looking at them. I wanted to be brave about this. Then suddenly one grabbed a huge worm out. It had something green on it and it seemed germy.

"Try this one." Crash said.

I had come up with an idea already. "Don't mind if I do." I said, trying to sound as if I meant it. I grabbed it from them and they snickered until I used my trunk and shot it right into Crash's face, breaking it up in the process.

As soon as Eddie saw worm guts all over his brother he laughed. I saw a slightly surprised look on Crash's face.

"Hey, I thought you were a daredevil?" I teased.

"You bet me?" Crash challenged. He stuck the grodiest part of the worm into his mouth and swallowed it smiling. "Beat that?"

"Before that I dare you to eat the rest of that off your fur."

"You bet!" He started licking his fur like a cat or I could say, a freak.

"Ellie, Manny, Sid, Diego, come here!" Crash hesitated when he realized my plan.

"I still dare you." I said mockingly as the others came.

"Wimp!" Eddie chimed in as he saw Crash hesitate licking up the mess.

Crash hurried and I had a feeling the reason for it is he would be in trouble with his sister.

"What happened here?" Ellie asked, the first to come.

"She did it!" Crash yelled pointing at me. Apparently Crash had only been acting like that as part of a scheme.

"Did what?" she asked.

"Used her nose to get a rabid worm all over Crash." Eddie said.

"Rabid? Did you know it was rabid?" Ellie said turning accusingly to me.

"It wasn't. Rabies can only occur in mammals. I continued with a long explanation as the possums watched in shock. Diego, Sid and Manny had come now. Diego smirked and Manny looked surprised. Sid stood there awestruck, trying to figure out what I was talking about and, a goofy claw on his confused face. Finally I finished by saying that her brothers had tried to make me eat a worm with fungus on it that could have caused me horrific problems if I had eaten it. She turned angrily to the possums.

"You should be ashamed of yourselves!" Obviously she didn't care about Crash being in contact with a fungusy worm. I thought she was overreacting about it as she yelled at the brothers. I turned to Manny, Sid, and Diego, grinning slightly.

"You got 'em." Diego said swatting at me playfully.

Manny was impressed. "I never thought the day would come the possums got payback." he said slightly playfully. I could still tell he was happy about the revenge on the brothers. I also thought I picked up a slight concern for Ellie in his voice but it was almost unreadable.

"Wow?!" Sid said surprised and still confused.

I decided not to tell Ellie, despite having a major honest streak, at least for as long as I could muster. After all, it was mostly the possums fault though kind of mine too. I walked over to Sid, Manny, and Diego.

"Smart move mammoth." Sid said, mockingly.

"Shut up, Sid." Manny said, joking. Ellie finally finished with the talk she gave Crash and Eddie and they leapt on her back as we headed back to eat. I decided to take a break once we started eating again since I was still feeling some pain from the wounds Cedric inflicted on me which remarkably had barely gotten infected during my time in the cave.

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	17. Author's Note

A/N: I am discontinuing this due to lack of interest. This story lacks much of a plot and much of it was confusing now that I look back at it. Another reason I am not finishing it. I would require a complete rewrite if I were to continue with it and while I enjoyed writing it, I feel that it should come to an end now.

Sorry to those of you who may have been reading it. But not to worry. I am continuing my other stories and will be updating them on a regular basis.


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